Saturday, September 17, 2011

Bead Soup Blog Party and Giveaway!!!

I can't believe it is finally here! This process has been such a treat. From anxiously awaiting to see who my partner would be, trying to pick out the perfect soup for that partner, and of course anticipating my own bead soup arriving. My partner, Laura Twiford, did a fantastic job with the bead soup that she chose for me. She found beads that I love, but probably wouldn't have picked out for myself. Close friends know that I like blue, aqua, turquoise, teal, ... are you sensing a theme here? LOL! By sending all these great blue beads paired with copper beads and an incredible hand-made focal, she has helped to push me in new directions, lots of copper and recycled glass.!I hope that she had as much fun playing with her soup as I had playing with mine

For my first piece, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the gorgeous etched copper focal with a sweet bezel set turquoise stone. Everytime I came into my office I would sit and fiddle... moving something here, moving something else there for over a week before I was finally happy with it. I initially wanted to make a "show stopper" piece, but finally realized that I loved the beads and the pieces too much to make it something I could only wear every once in a while. In fact it has already made its debut at church. Without further adieu, here it is!

I seriously love it, and it matches over half my wardrobe!

Next up I have another necklace. I used a single ceramic bead from the soup that matched a strand of shell beads that I had picked up months ago without knowing why (I am surely not the only one that does that!). I couldn't believe it when these went together so well.

For my last piece, I used some of the recycled sea glass, copper beads, and paired them with a few of my boro beads to create this fun bracelet. I can't wait to wear it, I just have to wait for this darned arm/shoulder to heal up!

I want to thank our fabulous hostess, Lori Anderson for all the hours of time that she put into arranging this for all of us. I can't wait to see everyone's creations!

Be sure to check out Laura's blog, here, to see what she created with my bead soup. I love what she did!

I also want to do a give-away as well. After all every good party has a favor!

How To Enter (give away is open to everyone, not just Bead Soup Blog Party participants:

Spread the word about this giveaway on your blog, facebook or twitter (one entry)

Since I am recovering from surgery and am desperate for something to read, leave me a comment with some of your favorite books in it (one entry). I love mysteries, novels, suspense, ... pretty much anything PG-13. LOL!

So there you have it, five different ways to enter:) Leave me a comment letting me know how you entered.**I will announce the winner in a month on October 17th, giving us all plenty of time to visit all of these fabulous blogs.** Please check back to see if you have won or with a way to contact you if you win!.

Now for the prizes! A mini acorn, your choice of 3 Charmed Pennies pendants (I can put a favorite saying or even your logo on one if you want!), and a set of pandora style beads.

67 comments:

I hope you get feeling better! A series I am reading is called " the Great and Terrible" its by a mormon author, and its about a family in the last days. AMAZING. I recommend it to anybody, and since its a mormon author, its clean!!

Kari, I LOVE what you did with the soup mix! I smiled when I saw the first piece, we really are on the same wavelength! That is actually the first time I have ever added just sections of chain amongst the wirewrapped, always liked it but never actually did it! I am so glad you can enjoy the pieces with your wardrobe, Me too and I plan to wear my pieces to the upcoming Artbliss retreat! Thank you so much again this has been great fun! Sorry that i can't recommend a book right now, haven't had any time to read, just magazines! I think you are right to wait a month to do the giveaway, I may change my date too, forgot to leave extra time to hop around, good thinking! get well soon, Hugs, Laura

Kari, these are beautiful pieces. I love what you did with the shell beads and the triangular focal. That is one gorgeous focal, btw. I remember you from LE or was it wet canvas. Anyway, good to see you and I love your pieces. :')

First off. . .shades of blue: yes, yes, YES! My wardrobe is quite similar!Secondly, I'll admit to constantly buying beads that just strike my fancy and figure that I'll work them into something later. (I also have a collection of shell beads.)Now, your soup results. LOVE!!!! I am smitten with all three pieces, but the first necklace and the bracelet are my faves. Beautiful work!

Kari - oh goodness, I just love all three pieces you did! I'm right with you though, always debating the showstopper/showpiece vs something that's a tad more wearer friendly! And you truly rocked the "wearer friendly" with all of these pieces! That first is just lovely.

You're a one-armed creative wonder! haaaaaaaa Hope your recovery is going well. Until you can get back to the torch and your gorgeous beads, I recommend the novel New York by Edward Rutherford. I couldn't put it down and loved how it intertwined with history.Take care!!Jen

Wonderful! You have created three terrific pieces of wearable art. I like your use of color and texture, and I'm amazed at what you can do with one arm. Thank you for sharing your artistic process along the way. Cheers!Lori

P.S. I like the author Mary Jo Putney. She has several books in a series.

You were certainly gifted with a great soup, and I love what you did with it. I would wear your first necklace all the time - it is made with such wearable colors. Those shell beads in the second necklace were an inspired choice!

Great pieces. I really like the way you kept the necklace simple in the first one to showcase the wonderful copper focal. The focal in the second one went really well with your beads. And the bracelet is just lovely with your boro beads mixed in.

Actually my newest read is my new Mixed Metal mania by Kim St. Jean. I just took an online class from her (did a review on my blog) and love her work, so got her book. It's great especially since I love copper and metal. Hoping to learn some new techniques.

I am so sorry for being so late my computer was resisting too labor intensive:^)Very nice designs. And there is still time to sign up for the give-away, Just go to SandysColoringBox.blogspot.com Sept.16th blog and leave a commentBe blessed to be a blessing

Ha! I'm so going to "steal" all those book references! I love reading, whether I have a bum arm or not! All your pieces are so wonderful, I just love that first necklace with the focal! The greens are so soft and such a wonderful color for fall in the second one.I just finished Clive Cussler's "Silent Sea" I love how he doles out pieces of the mystery and plot a bit at the time.Thanks so much for the great giveaway! I've liked both your fb sites!

Ok... LOVE that necklace! Gorgeous! Would totally wear that with um, everything I own ;) And the second necklace is beautiful and the bracelet is to sigh for! Beautiful beautiful! As for reading... let's see. I'm a big fan of the classics... Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is one I love because it is very though provoking. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen is an often overlooked gem of hers that has a mystery element ;) I've been reading the young adult novels the Books of Pellinor by Alison Croggon, which are pretty interesting though sometimes a bit intense. I could go on and on and on... and I'm following you now! Woohoo! Can't wait to read more on your blog. Hope your arm heals quickly!

Lovely, lovely, lovely pieces - the color schemes are so tasty, and you did such a nice job with each one. Three books I've read recently that I could recommend are "Room" by Emma Donoghue, "Adam and Eve" by Sena Jeter Naslund and "Fall of Giants" by Ken Follett. You may want to hold off on the Follett until your arm is healed -- it's a hefty sucker. Hope your arm is better soon!

Hi Kari, first time at your blog, but I would like to wish you a speedy recovery!!! Take care of yourself and good to hear you are letting others take care of you too. I really like your soup, I think my favorite is the first necklace with the copper pendant. Very lovely, you color pallet is one of my favorites.

Thank you all so much for the comments this past month. You truly all brought smiles to my day when I was able to read them. I am still working my way through the soup and am so loving the whole process. Thank you again!